Amid regional tensions and an ongoing civil war, a special envoy of Sudan’s de facto leader, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, made a secret visit to Israel last week, according to a report in the Sudanese newspaper Al-Rakoba. The goal of the visit was to revive the normalization process between the two countries and to persuade Israel to support Burhan’s rule—despite Sudan’s recent overtures toward Iran.
“We are willing to meet any condition from Israel”
According to the report, the envoy, Al-Sadiq Ismail, delivered a clear message from Burhan to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: Sudan is prepared to formalize its signature on the Abraham Accords and will accept any conditions set by Israel, in return for political and security support.
Ismail claimed that the rapprochement with Tehran was not a strategic decision but rather a necessity—driven by extreme pressure on Sudan and the lack of military assistance from Jerusalem. “We needed high-quality military support from any possible source to secure victory—Israel did not supply us with weapons, so we were forced to turn to Iran,” he said.
Efforts with Washington and Abu Dhabi
The report also noted that one of the objectives of the visit was “to market al-Burhan to the new U.S. administration and ease tensions with the United Arab Emirates.” Over the past year, Sudan has found itself politically isolated, making the restoration of relations with Western-aligned partners—especially Israel—a critical priority.
A feeling of abandonment from the Israeli side
According to the Sudanese source, al-Burhan expressed frustration with Israel’s policy toward Sudan over the past two years. He said the lack of military cooperation undermined his ability to defeat the Rapid Support Forces. Now, he seeks to renew ties—in return for tangible support from Israel.
